The report was ordered by an influential US Pentagon advisor but was covered up by 'US defense chiefs' for four months, until it was 'obtained' by the British weekly The Observer.
The leak promises to draw angry attention to US environmental and military policies, following Washington's rejection of the Kyoto Protocol (news - web sites) on climate change and President George W. Bush (news - web sites)'s skepticism about global warning -- a stance that has stunned scientists worldwide.
The Pentagon report, commissioned by Andrew Marshall, predicts that 'abrupt climate change could bring the planet to the edge of anarchy as countries develop a nuclear threat to defend and secure dwindling food, water and energy supplies,' The Observer reported.
The report, quoted in the paper, concluded: 'Disruption and conflict will be endemic features of life.... Once again, warfare would define human life.'
Its authors -- Peter Schwartz, a CIA (news - web sites) consultant and former head of planning at Royal Dutch/Shell Group, and Doug Randall of Global Business Network based in California -- said climate change should be considered 'immediately' as a top political and military issue.
It 'should be elevated beyond a scientific debate to a US national security concern', they were quoted as saying.
Some examples given of probable scenarios in the dramatic report include:
-- Britain will have winters similar to those in"

Tuesday, February 03, 2004

By Andrew Wallenstein
NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - Sci-fi fans probably haven't seen the last of 'Battlestar Galactica.'

After successfully relaunching the franchise as a miniseries in December, Sci Fi Channel picked up the options last week on its top cast members, which include Edward James Olmos (news), Mary McDonnell and Katee Sackhoff. Sources said the cable network is aiming to run 'Galactica' as a full-fledged series as early as fourth-quarter 2004.
Sci Fi declined comment, but all indications are that at least six episodes of 'Galactica' will be shot in Vancouver as soon as April. It will likely be one of cable's more expensive drama series, with production estimates as high as $1.5 million per episode.
The four-hour 'Galactica' miniseries averaged 4.2 million viewers last year, making it the third-highest-rated multinight program Sci Fi has aired.
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter "